In light of Born and Raised Outdoors’ new video, Expectations, being premiered at the Full Draw Film Tour this year, I thought it would be a perfect time to review their DVD entitled, Uncommon Ground.  This story follows 6 friends through an entire elk season, taking place in Oregon and Wyoming, during September, the month that every archery elk hunter dreams about.  6 guys, 12 tags, 2 states, a guest appearance by Wayne Endicott, and the first backcountry mouse hunt probably ever recorded.

I knew that I was going to like this film right from the first scene, not to mention the fantastic opening song during the intro.  The soundtrack of this film is absolutely perfect in my opinion.  The story starts out at what I assume to be a trailhead in Oregon.  Hard to tell, because it is dark out during the first scene.  The crew gets loaded up and takes off on mountain bikes with mini trailers in tow.  I thought this was a pretty innovative way to get into the backcountry.  Granted, you couldn’t do this just anywhere.  These boys were traveling on what seemed to be an old logging road.  Their initial first trip into where they wanted to hunt is FILLED with mishaps.  Almost to the point where I was thinking to myself, “What did these guys do to deserve this,” hahahaha!

After a LONG morning, they find themselves in a screaming match with their first bull of the trip.  Back and forth they went bugle for bugle.  My throat hurt just listening to them argue with this bull.  At the tail end of this “disagreement” between the caller and bull, antlers emerge.  A beautiful sight to say the least.  The hunter draws back, for what seems like forever to me, waiting for that right opportunity.  I was squeezing my coffee cup watching this in anticipation.  Then you hear it.  THWACK!  Another arrow is nocked and rocked right into a tree!!  Followed by another which puts the bull down in its tracks.  Celebration ensues of course and there are high fives all around.  I really liked that they didn’t cut out the hunter actually hitting a tree with his arrow.  It was humbling to see that.  Nobody is perfect, especially with a screaming bull RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

That is one hunt of many in this film and not the most emotional or adrenaline pumped by any means, and that is saying a lot.  These guys do a FANTASTIC job of telling the story and are not shy about showing their failures.  Nobody likes to fail, but it is a huge part of archery hunting and just hunting in general.  They make you feel like you are really there to be honest.  Showing everything that it takes from start to finish and the emotional roller coaster that is archery hunting.  This film was really inspiring to me and I can’t wait to do my first backpack hunt later this year.  Be sure to keep an eye out for their new film, Expectations.  If it is at all as good as Uncommon Ground, we are all in for a real treat.  To pick up Uncommon Ground, visit their website at www.bornandraisedoutdoors.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LF598-1JUA

Joshua Kirchner